Record label based in Paris and London but hearts firmly rooted in the universal motherland. We love African music, we want everyone to hear it and we want to spread the love. We are a collective of crate diggers, afro music-heads, label spotters and vinyl buying obsessives. We don't have any particular musical release agenda apart from,
"is it of African origin, does it have a beat?, do we like it?".
Launching in 2015 with the "Africa Airways" compilation series, we've gone on to re-issue several long lost gems from across Africa from the likes of Pasteur Lappe, Manu Dibango, Jo Tongo, Ekambi Brillant, Momo Joseph, Jake Solo & Jo Bisso
Review: Adding to the Africa Seven canon of titles like Afro Exotique: Adventures In The Leftfield Africa 1972-82 and African Funk Experimentals 1975-1982 is an in depth look into the Cameroon-born, Congolese inspired sounds of Jo Bisso in what Africa Seven call African Disco Experimentals 1974-1978. Having transplanted to the US and immersing himself in the emerging disco sound of 1970s downtown New York, African Disco Experimentals 1974-1978 presents an overview of Jo Bisso's dedication to the underground club scene of the times. With rattling percussion concussions like "Love Beat" helping set a precedent of epic, raw and lo-fi instrumentation to make the walls sweat, highlights include 11-minute standout "Love Somebody", or the funky, sultry and sensual stringed disco of "Your Love". Amid a stream of dancey numbers in the likes of "Disco Madonna", the stripped back funk of "Flying To The Land Of Soul" to the fat bass, blaxploitation themes and breathy vocals of Bisso himself in "Lovers Concerto (vocal)" - it's Bisso's all time great "Play Me" that makes this compilation worth the wait.
Review: Following the success of their Africa Airways series, London's Africa Seven introduces a new compilation focusing on some of the continent's most recognised female artists - and even some underrated heroines. The under-acknowledged musical contribution that African women have given to the funky sounds of Africa are celebrated here. This release will coincide with International Womens Day, and indeed what a tribute. Features the diggers delight "Kilimandjaro Take Us Higher" by South African songstress Letta Mbulu, some smokin' hot Nigerian boogie by Mona Finnih on "Ani Kewa Jo" and Miriam 'Mother Africa' Makeba with the sultry slo-mo groove of "Xica Da Silva". Makeba is known equally for her musical contributions as she is in fighting the apartheid and becoming a UN Ambassador.
Review: A veritable French fusion institution; classically trained Cameroon musician Eko Roosevelt Louis was responsible for a catalogue of exciting jazz funk, disco and afrofunk records throughout the 70s and remained active touring Europe until the 90s when he returned to Cameroon to inherit the role as tribal chieftain from his grandfather. Released in 1979, Funky Disco Music was his third album and packs some of his most powerful compositions. The triumphant title track says it all; laidback, charming and full of positivity it sets the scene for the whole trip. Highlights include the rock-tinged soul chugger "Une Chanson Sans Paroles", the highlife uplift of "Doi Da Manga" and the smouldering showstopper finale "Emen Ango". Dig deep and enjoy... Africa Seven promise more Eko reissues in the near future.
Review: A veritable French fusion institution; classically trained Cameroon musician Eko Roosevelt Louis was responsible for a catalogue of exciting jazz funk, disco and afrofunk records throughout the 70s and remained active touring Europe until the 90s when he returned to Cameroon to inherit the role as tribal chieftain from his grandfather. Released in 1979, Funky Disco Music was his third album and packs some of his most powerful compositions. The triumphant title track says it all; laidback, charming and full of positivity it sets the scene for the whole trip. Highlights include the rock-tinged soul chugger "Une Chanson Sans Paroles", the highlife uplift of "Doi Da Manga" and the smouldering showstopper finale "Emen Ango". Dig deep and enjoy... Africa Seven promise more Eko reissues in the near future.
Review: We, The People is Pasteur Lappe's 1979 masterpiece, and what is surely an LP that has helped the afro-funky sound to grow and prosper throughout the years. Africa Seven have done us the favour of digitising such an iconic six-tracker, and it just makes so much sense given today's fascination with outer national sounds of all variations. This is pure funky from start to finish, such as in "More Sekele Movement (Papas NI Name)", about there is something cosmic, deeper, and more experimental behind its seductive hypnosis. It's also pure party music through and through, never going to deep as to leave the dancers running dry - it's quite simply an essential piece of music to have in your arsenal, and a very early African funk bomb to show off in the discussion threads...
Review: Africa Seven is on fire recently, and this new compilation of rare and untapped material from Cameroon's Joseph Ekambi Tongo Mpondo has to be the pick of the lot! The talented multi-instrumentalist was famously studying medicine in Paris throughout he 60s, but it's clear that down the music path was the only sensible option for this man. African Funk Experimentals brings together some of his most obscure material from the years 1968-1982...and some new gear from 2017! Aside from the absolutely killer artwork featuring on the sleeve, this is a ten-track masterpiece, reaching all corners of the afrobeat heritage, while still retaining something very personal and symbolic of Cameroon's often underrated influence on African funk and boogie. Top marks all round.
Review: The Paris/London based reissue label, Africa Seven, have a strongly defined manifesto, in which they see it as their 'mission to re-release hard to find records with strong connections to the African Continent'. Here they've done it again, uncovering the rare as hen's teeth African Sound LP by super-rare Cameroonian group Dikalo. The band was led by the one and only Eko Roosevelt who not only sang, but played guitar, arranged all the music even conducted the group too. Highlights include the choppy electro Afro-funk of "Equality", the wah-wah and keys freak out "Old Fisher Man" and the synth squelches of "Yeh Bobe".
Review: When it comes to rare Afro reissues no one comes close to the Africa Seven label. Here they out do themselves again, presenting the third long player by iconic Malian music hero Sorry Bamba. This guy has been making innovative records for five decades, fusing traditional Malian music with the county's post-colonial contemporary vibes along the way. This particular record came out 38 years ago through the Parisian Sonafric outlet. As per usual with African Seven releases, this album has been extensively restored and re-mastered to 'a spectral analysis level'. Also in the pipeline are re-issues of Bamba's first and second albums too. We really are spoiled!
Review: 1971's Nande has been a digger's pearl for about three decades and it's no surprise given the original's near mythical status. It's important to rely that independent African recordings really are the stuff of legends, so this reissue from the ASB label is a fine touch, indeed! Previously out on the African Airways compilation, which has also become rarer by the year, we now have the single to play with, and the title track itself is one of those instantly danceable jewels with that hummable Afro bass. "Air Africa" is much funkier sort of affair, with sweet flutes circling high above sweet drum breaks and tropical guitar riffs. What a beauty, as always.
Review: Crate-digging reissue specialists Africa Seven has decided to flip the script on this fantastic album, asking a range of contemporary producers to "re-imagine" a string of rare soul, funk, Afrobeat and disco jams. Thrillingly for those who remember the original West London broken beat scene, the comp contains some killer "bruk" revisions - not least Silkie's brilliantly fluid and groovy take on Ekambi Brillant's "Soul Castle" and EVM's rolling, Bugz in the Attic style revision of M'Bamina's "Mosi Zole". Elsewhere, Appleblim delivers a typically fuzzy and bass heavy rework of Sorry Bamba, Dj Food chops up Sookie's organ-laden funk slammer "Rhythm on Rhythm" an IDM heroes Plaid join the dots between vintage African jazz and woozy electronica. In a word: superb.
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